Sewing mechanism for quilts and the like



Feb. 13, 1934. w. H. MAY

SEWING MECHANISM FOR QUILTS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 20, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR a l i'er H. Ma

Feb. 13, 1934.

W. H. MAY

SEWING MECHANISM FOR QUILTS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 20, 1930 Iifii.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 62 We! 7 INVENTOR Wa Her' H. Ma BY ms RNEY Feb. 13, 1934. w. H. MAY

EWING MECHANISM FOR QUILTS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 20, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR aHer H. M

5 u-o L ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1934. w. H. MAY

SEWING MECHANISM FOR QUILTS AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 20, 1930 m E e 1 m .1 m 0 M a F 1+ j w 2 2 m/v 1 1 Ll ul @R m M fi m A z J WQI L W r 1 J M a m q .1 a T w MM m. 13, 1934 I 1,946,868

. 1,946,868 SEWING MECHANISM FgR QUILTS AND THE Walter H. May, Pelham Manor, N. Y., assignor to Carlin Comforts, Inc., New York, N. Y.,' a corporation of New York Application October 20, 1930. Serial No. 489,838

16 Claims. (01. 112-118) The invention relates to a sewing machine the needle, needle holder, presser foot holder adapted for sewing quilts, comforters or analoand the improved, transparent presser foot gous articles and also for producing irregular or therein. intricate decorative designsin the fabrics op- Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the quilt frame erated on. heads, aquilt, and modified and improved means 60 The general object of this invention is to profor securing the quilt upon the heads and stretchduce a machine upon which a full size quilt may ing it in both directions. be placed and the surface of the quilt brought Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary detail, in into co-operative relationship with the operating side elevation, of a. portion of Fig. 8.

head of a sewing machine to cause the stitching Fig. 10 is a section at 10-10, Fig. 8, enlarged. 65

to follow any predetermined design. Fig. 11 is a section at 11-11, Fig. 8.

Another object is to produce such a machine Fig. 12 is a section at 12-12, Fig. 8.

which is readily adjustable to accommodate Since, as above stated, the organization or arquilts of various sizes and still another object rangement of the ,machine in general is similar to produce these desirable results with a mechato that disclosed in my above identified applica- 7o nism which is reliable, economical to operate and tion, this general construction or arrangement manufacture and compact in structure despite will be only briefly referred to, and the features the fact that it is capable of handling standard and improvements constituting the present insize quilts. vention will then be pointed out in detail.

The present machine is in general similar to The machine frame comprises end uprights 1 5 that disclosed in my previous application, Serial and 2 connected by various members including No. 444,712, filed April 16, 1930, with important the lower tie rods 3, the upper beam member 4 improvements consisting in means, in addition of channel section, a main longitudinal frame to means disclosed in the above mentioned appiece or beam 5 of inverted channel section, and

plication, for supporting the'quilt holding frame; a central supporting rail 6 for the quilt frame. 0 improved means for securing the quilt to the This quilt supporting frame comprises circular heads of the supporting frame; improved means heads or rings 7, each of which is supported by an for adjustably connecting the operating handle arm 8 extending from a hub structure 9 having to the quilt frame; new and improved means tubular extensions 10, 11, surrounding the cenfor stretching and flattening the portion of the tral supporting rail 6. The hub structures 9 and g5 quilt adjacent the sewing point and thus elims through them, the entire quilt frame, are mounted inating wrinkling and facilitating the sewing opfor longitudinal movement on rail 6 in a manner erat-ion; and a novel transparent presser foot generally similar to that disclosed in the above for the sewing mechanism proper, which enables mentioned application but differing slightly in dethe intricate design to beaccurately followed, tail, such means consisting as here shown, of avoiding the difficulty infollowing such designs grooved wheels 12, 13, mounted on the sleeve which has been experienced with the use of the extensions 10 and 11 by means of brackets 14 ordinary metal, opaque presser foot. and having their lower portions passing through Further features and objects of thc'invention slots in the tubular extensions and running on will be more fully understood from the followthe V"-shaped upper edge of rail 6, as clearly ,ing detail description and the accompanying shown in Fig. 2.

drawings, in which The heads or rings '1 of the quilt frame are con- Fig. l is a side elevation of a machine emnected together for relative axial adjustment by bodying the invention in one form. an adjustable bar 16 which in the present inven- 5 Fig. 2 is a central sectional elevation of Fig. 1, tion includes improved means operable from one taken on an enlarged scale. end of the quilt frame for lengthening or short- Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial side elevation, ening the bar, thus to adjust the heads or rings with some parts in section. 7 and also to longitudinally tension the quilt, as

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail at 4-4, Fig. 2. will appear. 59 Fig. 5 is a left side elevation of Fig. 4. There is a central support for rail 6, as in the Fig. 6 is a top plan of the quilt supporting, above application, this consisting of a bracket tensioning and straightening plates at the sew- 1'7 depending from beam 5 and having a set screw ing point, with their operating mechanism. 18 engaging under rail 6.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged perspective of a part of For the convenient rotation and longitudinal the sewing mechanism proper, showing especially movement of the quilt frame there is a handle frame generally similar to that disclosed in the stated application and including the handle bar proper, 20, and an opposite or counter-balancing bar 21 supported in diametrically opposite position outsLde of the quilt frame by arms 22 which are revolubly mountedaat central portions about the hubs 9. Bothof the longitudinal bars"v 20 and 21 are extensible substantially asin the stated application, but the present invention .,pro-

vides improved means quickly connecting and disconnecting the handlebar 20 to and from the quilt frame for circular adjustment of the handle bar in respect to the frame, such connecting means being referred to in detail hereafter.-

As also fully explained in the stated application,

the sewing mechanism proper is similar to ordi-" nary types except that the mechanism is divided practically centrally, thus providing a sewing head 23 carried by beam 4 at a central location, and driving or operating mechanism contained in the casing portion 24 Securedon an extension of the main longitudinal beam 5. The needle holder is operated by a, shaft25, and a portion 26 of the sewing mechanism located below the quilt positioned on the frame, asshown in Fig. 2, and containing the bobbin or equivalent mechanism or the dog feed mechanism to cooperate with the presser foot, is driven by a shaft 27, which passes through the quilt frame below the quilt. The sewing mechanism isJdriven by an electric motor 28 supported on a bracket 29 under control of a pedal 30, as fully described in the above mentioned application. 1 l

On account of the restricted dimensions of the central supporting rail 6, due to various factors of design, the weight of the quilt frame, etc., the present invention provides improved means for supporting the weight of thequilt frame, in' addition to the means disclosed in the. above mentioned application. Such supporting means, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,'inc'ludes pulleys or flanged-wheels 31 and 32 adjacent each of the heads or rings7 of the quilt frame and at opposite sides thereof fan'd'connected revolubly on bracket arms 33 extending up from the hub structure of these heads or rings; or specifically as shown, .the lower. ends ofthe supporting arms are "connected to the brackets 14 which also support pulleys 12 and 13: The wheels or pulleys 31 and 32 run on a rail 34 supported by a longitudinal strip 36 from the center of the main longitudinal beam 5. The wheels or pulleys 31, 32, may, as. best shown in Fig. 2, be arranged at opposite sides of the strip 36 to run on opposite margins of the rail 34. Evidently these supporting pulleys 31 and 32 support practically any desired part of the weight of the quilt frame and are carried by the main upper beam 5 which may be of ample dimensions and stiffness to sustain this weight and thus prevent sagging or bending of the center rail 6. I Instead ofspring clips, as shown in the above mentioned application, vides more positive means on the heads or rings 7 of the quilt frame for securing the quilt, such as Q. Figs. 1 and 2, thereon, such means consists of prongs or pins 40 thin ring 41 and which are evenly spaced about the periphery of each head or ring 7. These pins or prongs incline outward so that when the margin of the quilt is placed upon them it will be retained by the outward inclination of the pins as the rings or heads 7 are moved divergently to tension and support the quilt forgewing. Preferably, these pins are overlaid,.for the protection of the operator, by a guard'ring 42 which has a cyover the pins after the quilt f tectthe operatorfrom contact with the pins or the present invention prowhich maybe carried by a' lindrical or sleeve portion 43 surrounding the periphery of the quilt head or ring 7 and movable rotatably and longitudinally thereof. Movements of the guard ring are controlled by pins or screws 44 passing through diagonal slots 45 in the sleeve offthe guard ring, so that in a manner' which is obvious in Figs. 3 and 4, rotation of the guard ring will cause it to move rotatably and at the same time in an axial direction on the respective heads 7, and thus the guard portion 42 may be retracted to permit the quilt margin to be placed on the supporting pins, or advanced is in position to propron ism;

For lengthening or shortening the bar 16 which connects the "heads of the quilt frame, for purposes above referred to, this bar is made in a plurality of parts, including tubes 46 having their ends connected to the respective arms 8. A screw rod. 48 passes through tube: 46 and is mounted for. rotation therein and also enters tube 47 wherein it has the threaded or screw portion 49. This screw portion of the rod engages in a nut 50 keyed irrevolubly in tube 47. One end of the screw rod 48, at the outside of one of the quilt frame heads 7 has a nut-like formation 52 to receive the wrench-like socket of a crank handle,53, or if desired a crankmay be permanently attached to the screw rod so that by rotation of the rod the quilt-supporting heads or rings 7 are drawn together or separated to accommodate the frame to quilts of different lengths; and also after the quilt has beenattached by placing its margin on the pins 40, as above described, the crank is operated to cause the rodand nut mechanism to'spreadthe supporting rings 7 and thus to apply any desired amount of longitudinal tension-to the quilt.

In the above stated application the quiltframe adjus'ing or positioning means consisting of a hand bar similar ,to bar20 here shown, is connected to and disconnected from the quilt frame by pins'positively engaging in holes in the end rings or heads thereof. In the present improved construction, the handle frame including the arms 22 and bar 20, is connected in different rotative positions to the quilt frame by frictional means operated through the handle bar 20, and such connecting means may be located at either or both ends of the handle frame. Such means comprises, as best. shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a slide 55 slidably mounted on arm 22 as by slots 56 and bolts or pins 57, 58, secured in the arm and passing through the slots. Slide 55 has a laterally i projecting member 59 passing through an aperture in the arm 22 and carrying at its end a fric tion pad 60 bearing on the periphery of the adjacent ring 7. The pad is held normally to this frictional, engagement by a spring 61 tensioned between pins'62 and 58. The slide and friction pad areoperated by rotation of the handle bar 20 which has at its ends studs or' trunnions 65. revolubly mounted in short sleeves or eyes 66 formed in the outer ends of arms 22; and in the ends of the trunnions are eccerit'rically set pins 67 engaging in transverse slots. 68 in the upper ends of the slides 55, so that by rotation of the bar and eccentric action of the pins 67 the slides are moved outward and the friction pads 60 re leased from contact with the heads or rings 7, and then the handle bar frame may be moved rotatably in relationto the quilt frame and reengaged therewith by permitting the handle bar to rotate in the opposite direction, whereupon springs 81 will clamp the friction pads on the periphery of the quilt frame heads 7 which is thereafter moved rotatably and also longitudinally by the handle bar in the sewing operation.

When a quilt or other thick padded article is placed about the movable supporting frame, on account of the smaller circumference of the inner surface as compared with that of the outer surface, the inner portion tends to wrinkle transversely, which interferes with the sewing opera tion; and to stretch or straighten and eliminate this winkling in the sewing area and also to properly support the quilt adjacent the needle and presser foot, I provide spaced supporting or tensioning plates 70, the adjacent edges of which are hingedly connected at '11, to front and rear sides of the bobbin housing 26 or similar part of the sewing mechanism proper, as best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6. Cooperating with these plates is an interrupted rotary ring consisting of a rod 72, the ends of which are connected to brackets 73 and underlie plates '70. The brackets are carried by slides '74 mounted in a guide 75, transversely located and secured on frame beam 5 at the point of sewing. The ring 72 engages the inner face of the quilt and serves to distend it to rotary form in the vertical plane of the sewing zone. The ends of the rod move divergently and the plates are elevated to stretch and tension the quilt and hold a portion of it between the presser foot and the housing 26 in straight, flat condition without wrinkles, by lazy tong levers 76, crossed and fulcrumed at '77 on beam 5. In similar ends of these levers are slots 7'7 and each of the slots is engaged by a pin '18 on one of the slides 74. The other ends of the levers 76 are connected by links 80 and a screw block 81 to a screw 82 revolubly mounted in bearings 83 and 84 and having at the end of the main frame a crank handle 85 by which the screw shaft and screw are rotated to spread the ring '72 and raise plates '70 to straighten, stretch and tension the quilt in the manner above referred to.

Fig. 1 shows in dotted lines one representative pattern P consisting of curved or tortuous lines, and Fig. 'lshows at P one line of such a pattern. With such curved or tortuous patterns it is difficult with the ordinary opaque presser foot to properly follow the pattern lines since the presser foot obscures a considerable area of the pattern near the needle point. To overcome this difficulty I provide in preferred cases a presser foot of any suitable transparent material which permits the pattern lines to be observed through the base portion 91 or foot proper so that the fabric may be properly guided in relation to the needle regardless of the relative direction of movement of the fabric in relation to the presser foot and thus the pattern lines may be accurately followed at all times. The exact type of form of the presser foot may vary, the one shown being a typical form, except that it is of transparent or substantially transparent material instead of metal, and opaque, as usual. The shank 92 is secured in any'usualway in a slot 93 at the lower end of the presser foot holder 94, and the foot 91 proper may have a hole, or a slot 95, as usual, for the needle 96. The material of the presser foot may vary. In some cases it may be glass; otherwise of a sufficiently tough and strong material which is less brittle than glass, such as a transparent molded synthetic resin, or material of the general nature of celluloid or the various commercial variations thereof. This presser foot is of course capable of use in sewing or embroidering machines of other types.

Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive show modified means for securing a quilt upon the quilt frame and properly tensioning it in both the longitudinal and rotary directions. In this construction or arrangement the heads 7 are of ring or annular form as in the other example. Provision is made for securing the end edges of the quilt, which are the edges or margins which are laid about the frame heads, to the heads by securing means, i. e., fasteners of the rip-lock or slide-lock type. Such fastener for each head or each end margin of the quilt comprises cooperating members 101 and 102, each member consisting of tapes 103, 104, respectively havingat one margin the cooperating interlocking fastening' members 105. The rip-lock fastener is of a type in which the cooperating members 101 and 102 are not permanently connected, thus allowing for the convenient connection of the individual members of each complete fastener, one such member to the head and the other to the quilt margin. Thus the strip member 101 of each fastener is connected to the periphery of the head as by a metal band 106 and screws or rivetslO'l, with the looking members directed inwardly of the frame, and the complemental strip 102 is connected to an end edge of the quilt by basting its tape 104 to the quilt margin, as well shown in Figs. 9 and 11. For the type of completely and readily separable fastener, one of the members, such as 101, has at one end of its row of locking members 105 a metal piece 108 to receive the locking slide 108, and an adjacent stop 110 to prevent accidental displacement of the slide from the locking strip; while the other strip member 102 has at the corresponding end a guide member 111 which may be initially inserted into the slide, which is then operated to interlock the two strip-members of the fastener in the usual way.

To properly secure the other quilt margins 112, which may conveniently be called the side margins, in distinction from the end margins 100, and to stretch or tension the quilt in the rotary direction, I provide bars 113 and 114 connected at their opposite ends to the heads 7. Each of these bars is adjustable lengthwise in accordance with the spacing of the heads, and ,for this purpose consists of members 115 and 116 whichtelescope relative to one another. One of the complete bars, suchas 114, may be non-adjustably secured to the heads in any convenient way, as by clamps 117 or other suitable means at the ends of its respective members, while the other complete bar 113 is secured to the heads adjustably in the rotary direction. For this purpose each head has on its outer face near its inward edge a channel 118, and the complete bar 113 has at the outer end of each of its telescoping members 115, 116, a clamp 120 consisting of a member 121 secured to the bar member such as 115, Fig. 10, and having at its outer end a hook formation 122 engaging in the channel 118 of the corresponding head. The other clampmember 123 is movably connected to or engaged with the member 121 at 124, and has a clamping or jaw member 125 engaging the inner face of the head in opposed relation to the hooked portion 122. The clamp is tightened to secure the bar in adjusted position in 1 the rotary direction by a bolt 126 and wing nut 127.

To connect the quilt margins 112 to the respective bars, each bar is provided with a suitable plurality of clips 130, Figs. 8 and 12. Each of 1 Jaws 131, 132, hingedly connected at 133 and these may be in the form of a spring clip having! with outwardly projecting finger pieces or lever 134.' To one of the members, such as 131-134, is connected a hook 135 by which the complete clip is located on the respective bar 113 or 114 and The clips may of bars as desired. In each clip, one of the jaws,

112 and through "The lock strip members 102 having been basted 1 or otherwise temporarily securedto the quilt mar- 4 teners and securing the roughly in accordance with about the heads and the end "gins 100, as described, theheads are adjusted on their supports roughly in accordance with the quilt dimension, longitudinally of the quilt frame, andbar 113 is adjusted in the rotary direction the quilt dimension in the rotary direction. The quilt is then placed members of the lock strip fasteners are engaged; the other quilt margins 112 are secured in the various clips 130. The quilt may then be tensioned in the rotary direction by moving bar 113 toward bar 114 and securing the former in position by tightening the wing nuts 127. The slides 109 of the strip fasteners are then pulled around to the far ends of the strips, thus interlocking both sets of fasquilt margins 100 positively to the heads, which may then be moved farther apart in the manner previously described, to. properly tension the quilt in the longitudinal direction.

After the sewing operations are completed the quilt is removed by operations substantially the reverse of the attaching operations, and the members 102 of the rip strip fasteners are re-, moved by pulling out the bastings. ,i

After-considering the structures constituting representative embodiments of the present improvements, as above described in detail, skilledpersons will understand that many variations may be made, and I contemplate the employment of any structures or arrangement that are prop erly within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: v r

1. In a sewing machine of the character described, a main frame, a central track rail, a quilt supporting frame, means for mounting said quilt supporting frame for free optional rotation and/or longitudinal movement about the track rail, a main beam frame, and means guided for longitudinal movement on said main beam and connected to the quilt supporting frame to partially support the same.

2. In a sewing machine of the character described, a quilt frame comprising annular heads and means adjustably connecting them, a mainframe, a track rail carried by the main frameand passing centrally through the quilt frame, an upper supporting beam carried by the main frame and passing through the quilt frame, a track thereon, and wheels running on the track last named and connected to the quilt frame to partially support the same.

3. In a sewing machine of the character described, the combination with a quilt frame including circular heads, means for mounting said quilt frame for optional rotation and/or longitudinal movement, a handle frame comprising arms mounted for rotation in relation to the quilt ends passing through the quilt,

frame at the axis thereof, a handle bar connecting similar ends of said arms, and frictional connecting means carried byflthe handle frame for cooperation with the quilt frame.

4; In a sewing machine of the character described, the' combination with a rotatable quilt frame including circular heads, a handleframe comprising" arms mounted for rotation in relation to the quilt frameat the axis thereof, a handlebar connecting similar ends of said arms, and frictional connecting means carried by the handle frame for cooperation with the quilt frame, and means controlled by rotation of the handle bar for retracting the frictional connecting means whereby to adjust the rotative position of the. handle frame in relation to the quilt frame.

5. In a sewing machine of the character described, the combination with a rotatable quilt frame including c'ircular heads, a handle frame comprising arms mounted for rotation in relation to the quilt frame at the axis thereof, a handle bar connecting similar ends of said arms, and frictional connecting means carried by the handle frame for cooperation with the quilt frame, said frictional connecting means comprising movable members on the arms, friction pads thereon engaging the heads of the quilt frame, and springs urging the pads to frictional engagement with the heads of the quilt frame.

. 6. In a'sewing'machine of the character described, thecombination with a rotatable quilt frame including circular heads, a handle frame comprising arms mounted for rotation in relation to the quilt frame at the axis thereof, a handle bar connecting similar ends of said arms, and-frictional connecting means carried by the handle frame for cooperation with the quilt frame, and means controlled by rotation of the.

handle bar for retracting the frictional connecting-means whereby to'adjust the rotative position of the handle frame in relation to the quilt frame said frictional connecting means comprising movable members on the arms, friction pads thereon engaging the heads of the quilt'frame, and springs urging the pads to frictional engagement withthe heads of the quilt frame.

7. In a sewing machine of the character described, the combination of sewing mechanism, a quilt supporting frame comprising a center rail, circular heads arranged for optional longitudinal movement and rotation about the rail, and means connecting the heads for relative convergent and divergent movement, said means comprising an extensible bar and an operating member at one end of the bar and external to one ofthe heads for extending and contracting the bar to adjust the heads and tension a fabric articlesecured thereon.

8. In 'a sewing machine of the character described, the combination of sewing mechanism, a quilt supporting frame comprising a center rail, circular heads arranged for optional longitudinal movement and/or rotation about the rail, and

means connecting theheads for relative conmovement and/or rotation about the rail, and means connecting the heads for relative convergent and divergent movement, said means comprising an extensible bar and an operating member at one end of the bar and external to one of the heads for extending and contracting the bar to adjust the heads and tension a fabric article secured thereon the heads having peripheral, spaced article-engaging prongs.

10. In a sewing machine of the character described, the combination of sewing mechanism, a quilt supporting frame comprising a center rail, circular heads arranged for optional longitudinal movement and/or rotation about the rail, and means connecting the heads for relative convergent and divergent movement, said means comprising an extensible bar and an operating member at one end of the bar and external to one of the heads for extending and contracting the bar to adjust the heads and tension a fabric article secured thereon the heads having peripheral, spaced article-engaging prongs inclined away from the center of the quilt frame.

11. In a quilt supporting frame, circular supporting heads and spaced quilt supporting prongs on the periphery of the heads, and prong guards mounted on the heads and movable thereon to give access to the prongs or to overlie them and protect the operator from contacting with the i prongs.

12. In a quilt supporting frame, circular supporting heads and spaced quilt supporting prongs on the periphery of the heads the prongs being inclined away from the center of the quilt frame, and prong guards mounted on the heads and movable rotatively and longitudinally thereon to give access to the prongs or to overlie them and protect the operator from contacting with the prongs.

13. In a sewing machine of the character described, in combination with sewing mechanism proper including the presser foot and needle, an optionally rotatable and/or longitudinally movable quilt frame including circular heads, a supporting member passing through the quilt frame,

quilt supporting and tensioning plates and means supporting the plates for movement on said supporting member whereby to straighten and support the quilt adjacent the presser foot and needle.

14. In a sewing machine of the character described, in combination with sewing mechanism proper including the presser foot and needle, a rotatable and longitudinally movable quilt frame including circular heads, a supporting member passing through the quilt frame, quilt supporting and tensioning plates and means supporting the plates for movement on said supporting member whereby to straighten and support the quilt adjacent the presser foot and needle, and an internal quilt supporting ring having its ends movably connected to cooperate with said plates.

15. In a sewing machine of the character described, in combination with sewing'mechanism proper including the presser foot and needle, a rotatable and longitudinally movable quilt frame including circular heads, a supporting member passing through the quilt frame, quilt supporting and tensioning plates and means supporting the plates for movement on said supporting member whereby to straighten and support the quilt adjacent the presser foot and needle, and an internal qu'ilt supporting ring having its ends .movably connected to cooperate with said plates and means operable from a position beyond an end of the quilt frame for operating the plates and rings.

16. In a sewing machine of the character described, in combination with sewing mechanism proper including the presser foot and needle, a rotatable and longitudinally movable quilt frame including circular heads, a supporting member passing through the quilt frame, quilt supporting and tensioning plates and means supporting the plates for movement on said supporting member whereby to straighten and support the quilt adjacent the presser foot and needle, said plates being pivotally mounted on a part of the sewing mechanism cooperating with the needle and presser foot and supported by said longitudinal supporting member.

' WALTER H. MAY. 

